


I'm Right Here

by rei_writes_a_lot



Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Injury, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Hyrule tries to comfort Wind, I apologize this is very Wild and Wind focused, I don't like writing Wind angst it hurts, I tagged Sky but he's not really there much, I think I forgot to just write Four, I wrote this over the course of 5 days at 4am mostly, Injuries are mentioned a few times as well, It's not described too much but yeah, Neither is Warriors or Hyrule, There is a brief mention of a fragment of a memory where Wild is sick, This is my second fic I tried my hardest, Twilight is a tired older brother and Time is a tired dad, Wild (Linked Universe) Angst, Wild and Wind are both hurt, Wild being protective of Wind, Wild blames himself a lot, Wind is sorta sick as well, Wind thinks everyone will abandon him, Wind's injuries are mentioned a LOT but not in heavy heavy detail
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:00:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27339070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rei_writes_a_lot/pseuds/rei_writes_a_lot
Summary: When Wind gets injured and is in critical condition, Wild ends up once again letting the seed of self-doubt grow in his mind. Meanwhile, Wind thinks everyone will just leave him behind.
Relationships: Wild & Wind (Linked Universe)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 107





	I'm Right Here

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! This took me a lot longer than my first fic but I quite like it, I think it's a good first step towards trying new things with my work! I hope you enjoy it as well!

There were the sounds of night echoing all around. The sound of a fire crackling or the crickets that wouldn’t stay quiet. There were the grunts of monsters far off, smoke from their camps rising into the navy sky.

There was also the frantic movement of Wild, the sounds of tree branches breaking as he ran through them, using his arms to shield the smaller boy in his hold. Wind whimpered quietly, trying his best to stop from screaming with how much the gash in his side hurt. Wild grumbled in frustration, speeding up as quickly as his legs could take him.

Why had he been so careless? Why didn’t he grab Wind and run the moment a Bokoblin saw them? He wasn’t sure. He just knew once he heard the shriek of an enemy spotting him, he pulled out his blade and stood close to the Wind hero. Wild had kept his eyes trained on the single Bokoblin in front of him. He failed to notice the second one walked up behind him until it managed to injure Wind.

Things were in slow motion at that point to him. The way Wind started falling to the ground, how Wild screamed out for him as his hand tried to grab the boy. The sword the Bokoblin held had crimson on it, dripping onto the ground as the very same color started to soak up on Wind’s shirt. That was the moment that Wild took initiative and grabbed the smaller boy, running blindly as he abandoned his weapon and the enemies behind him.

His legs felt like lead, growing heavier with every step he took. The sound of his boots meeting the slippery rocks pounded in his head. Oh Hylia, when did it start raining? Wind moved in his arms, his eyes opening a fraction. Wild felt nervous seeing how dull Wind’s eyes looked, how shallow his breathing was becoming, and how hot his body felt in the pouring rain.

Before he could process it, Wild hit the ground and tumbled forward, letting go of Wind as he rolled over the rocky terrain. He groaned in pain, his head felt like it was going to split open any moment. His vision blurred as he looked to see Wind curled up in a ball, his sobs of pain ringing in the Champions ears. He was many feet away, much too far from Wild for him to do anything.

“... I’m sorry… Wind... “ Wild was sure his hoarse voice couldn’t carry his pathetic message to the younger male. He was sure that they would never make it back to camp at this rate. Not after that fall that left them both in a state where they were unable to do much other than wish they would make it out of this situation in one piece.

The feeling of cold suddenly crashed on Wild as he felt his teeth chattering, his body shaking as the rain soaked through his tunic and undershirt. It was like the concept of warmth was an idea, something foreign to him in this moment. He longed for the familiar feeling of a campfire and the safety of his bed roll after a long and tiring day. He wondered if he would ever feel that again.

He didn’t have to wonder for too long.

“There they are!” A voice shouted from the distance, multiple pairs of footsteps rushing to the two heroes. Someone, his vision was too blurry to tell who exactly, grabbed Wind and picked him up. Wild felt hands pulling him up from the ground, both of his arms being draped across the shoulders of two people. He looked to the right and could barely make out the markings on their face but connected the two dots and realized it was Time.

“Hey, you’re safe now,” A firm voice said to the left of him. He didn’t have to look to know who it was, he knew it was Twilight instantly. Relief crashed over him and he felt this strange feeling in his chest, a mixture of fear and happiness. He was glad they were found but Wind’s condition worried him.

It wasn’t long before Wild’s eyes closed and he heard the shouts of his friends around him, though he couldn’t make out any words.

\---

Why was everything so warm..?

Warmth-!

Wild opened his eyes, letting out a shaky breath as he sat up, his chest rising and falling as he stared at the campfire not far from him. He hugged himself as he processed what happened, his skin feeling cool to the touch still. He felt better though, his fears of never again feeling warmth bubbling down into nothing more than a past thought that didn’t concern him now.

“Wind-” He croaked out, his voice cracking as his throat felt dry and sore. He gently held a hand over his mouth, his brow furrowing. He didn’t remember what could’ve caused him to have such an irritated feeling there.

He figured out the cause as soon as he realized his eyes were dry. Fingers brushed over his cheeks to reveal that he had indeed been crying, most of his tears long gone besides the few forming in the corners of his eyes. He let out a silent sob, not entirely sure what he was even crying about.

Then he looked up, the sight awaiting him shocking him. It filled him with dread and guilt, any feeling of relief leaving him all at once. Wind wasn’t far from him, further away from the fire as he had a wet cloth on his forehead. He was breathing heavily in his sleep, his face dripping with sweat and his shirt torn and stained red. He had bandages wrapped around his abdomen that were already being soaked through and ruined.

Wild let out a silent sob, tears falling as he closed his eyes tight and tried to imagine himself anywhere except here. He was the reason Wind was hurt, struggling so hard just to stay alive. He didn’t think it would get this bad, the unforeseen rain most likely being the major factor leading towards this outcome. How could he have been so foolish to continue venturing out with the boy even after the rain started to fall? He let out another sob, this time it being audible but still muffled by the hands he put over his mouth. 

Why was Hylia so cruel? Letting him get off with nothing but minor injuries while Wind, a mere child, was facing many more hardships. He knew Wind was strong, he defeated Ganon for heaven's sake! But was he this strong? His body might not physically be able to keep this up for much longer..

Suddenly, it was as if Wild were back in his own Hyrule. He looked around him and the forest scenery was gone, lost to whatever unfamiliar room he seemed to be in. He heard the sounds of people talking, voices familiar yet he hadn't a clue who they belonged to. He heard shuffling, the reassurance that he would be fine from someone. His body felt hot despite how icy he felt moments ago. His head felt like it was splitting in two again. Then just as quickly as it came, it left and he was now staring a concerned-looking Warriors in the face.

Despite hearing Warriors ask how he was feeling, how long he had been awake amongst other things, Wild did not process it. He tried to grip on to the things he just saw and heard, connecting it to being another useless memory he honestly wished would’ve stayed forgotten. 

Hylia was trying to be cruel on purpose now, he knew it. The way he remembered being dreadfully ill right as he saw the critical condition of Wind was no coincidence. He had seen all of his friends sick before, of course now when he was vulnerable was the time he had to remember. He cursed under his breath, registering Warriors’ words now that he was finally out of his head.

“Wild, you alright there?” That was the last question he wanted to hear right now. A mumbled “Yeah,” and obvious lack of eye contact gave Warriors all he needed to know before he moved on from the topic. Hyrule appeared from behind the Captain, his focus on getting to Wind as quickly as possible. Wild didn’t dare take another look, he wanted to forget the sight of how pale Wind’s face looked as his bandages grew soaked with blood.

A few minutes felt more like centuries as he heard the hushed conversation of Hyrule and Time, both evidently trying their best to help Wind. Despite them keeping their volume low, probably them trying to be courteous to Wild’s pounding headache, he couldn’t help from hanging on to every word he heard. Things like “sick, hurt, warm,” stuck with him more than anything else. From what he pieced together, Wind was still burning hot and Hyrule’s magic did little to heal his injuries. He cringed at that, only imagining how bad they truly were in his head. He refused to look for fear of crying again.

Instead, he tried focusing on other sounds around him. He heard Legend cleaning his sword, the muttered curses under his breath almost making Wild laugh. He would’ve if it weren’t for the suffocating feeling in his chest, making his body ache with every tiny movement. The adrenaline was gone, pain receptors back in working order, and causing him to feel the aftermath of the previous incident.

Twilight was nowhere to be seen, probably wandering off somewhere in search of something for their dinner since the resident chef of the group wasn’t exactly up for cooking. He wished Twilight were here, either to distract him or just to sit in comfortable silence with him. Their unspoken bond felt like the only thing that would properly ground him and bring him back to his senses after such an experience.

He remembered the concern in Twilight’s expression after they found him and Wind. He could picture it perfectly, picking out details like a furrowed brow and eyes that held true fear in them. He was afraid of the fate two of his companions would fall to had they been a moment too late. Wild could also see him now, blaming himself somehow for what happened. Twilight did that a lot when it came to things relating to Wild, a bad habit he picked up after taking responsibility for the Champion when he first joined the group.

After spending a long time in thought, he betrayed himself and looked to Wind. He had to see him, had to be sure he was alright, and that he was still here with everyone. He just about looked away after seeing him again, Hyrule’s forehead dripping with sweat as he kept on using his magic while Time kept a close eye, trying to make sure he didn’t overexert himself in the process.

Wild pulled his legs to his chest, ignoring the stabbing jolts of pain through his chest and abdomen as he did so. His fingers found a piece of loose thread from the seams of his trousers and he fiddled with it, his eyes closing as he tried his best to picture Wind before the incident. 

He saw a young boy, golden hair whipping in his face as he laughed and walked around. He called out the names of others, waving for them to hurry up as he was far ahead of the group. The innocent laughter and wide smile of the kid made you forget he had faced such extreme things like the rest of them, albeit some of them had faced arguably much worse. Still, he went on a long and difficult adventure when he wasn’t even a teenager yet, something that tended to slip their minds in difficult situations. It was a natural instinct to be protective of those younger, especially to those who grew up with siblings.

Wild kept his eyes closed as he pictured what they would be doing right now if Wind was alright. They’d be traveling and talking about many things. Legend would be showing off one of his magical items to Wind, who would be trying his best to comply with Legends, “No touching, only looking,” rule while also trying to figure out how he could use the item. Warriors would be watching with an amused face, saying the experienced hero was such a softie for kids which would then lead to an argument that Time would have to break up. Wind would be laughing the whole time, getting off absolutely scott-free while the other two were put up for watch that night.

Before he realized it, Wild fell asleep to the ideas he thought of. His head lolled forward as his arms relaxed. Sky had noticed and gently moved Wild so that he was in a lying position back in his bedroll by the fire. He sat next to his now asleep friend, hoping nightmares didn’t plague him tonight like they tended to do after incidents like this. He knew self-doubt crept into Wild’s mind, Sky had dealt with that feeling all too well, but he just hoped the boy could catch a break for once after what had happened. Hylia, he deserved it.

\---

Everything was so.. So warm.

Why did he feel like he was on fire? His mind searched for an answer before his scattered recollection of what happened came back to him. There was rain, a lot of it. That didn’t make any sense to why he felt as though his body would burst into flames at any moment. It hurt a lot now that he was consciously feeling it. God, he wished he was still asleep.

Wind sat up from where he laid, his mind foggy as he placed a hand on his forehead to push the hair out of his face. He flinched when he touched his own face. It was so hot, he felt as though his hand should’ve been burnt from the contact. This feeling vaguely reminded him of when he tried to get Wild to take him to Death Mountain one time. The air was seering with heat and anything wooden or flammable instantly burst into flames. 

Wild had given them elixirs to be able to stand the scorching air but it didn’t stop Wind from feeling discomfort in just how suffocating the air was. His lungs felt like they were inhaling fire back then. He felt the same feeling now as he heard the crackling of a fire and the hushed noises of the forest at night.

No one was in sight when Wind looked around. He felt his heart start to race as he realized he was alone. Did they abandon him? Were they tired of having to deal with him and decided to leave him behind? Thoughts swirled in his mind which made his head spin. It was a good thing he was still sitting or else he was sure he would’ve collapsed onto the ground.

“...Wind.”

What was that? He snapped his head to his left and swore he heard a voice speaking to him, calling out his name. It was a faint whisper but he was sure he wasn’t going crazy - unless he was? That thought started to send him into another spiral of panic until he heard the voice repeat itself, this time more firm.

“Wind.”

He was convinced there was something he just simply couldn’t see speaking to him now. What else could it be communicating to him when he was running a high temperature and all alone out in the creepy woods all on his own?

“Wind!”

Okay, that sounded like Hyrule… Hyrule! Wind’s eyes opened, he didn’t recall when they closed, and he met the concerned face of his friend who evidently had been desperately trying to get his attention for a long time. He stared for a few minutes before hugging Hyrule, just about ready to burst into tears.

Hyrule did not know what caused this outburst but he tried his best to return the hug without touching any of the young boy’s wounds. He wondered why Wind had been staring in space for so long after he sat up, it concerned him deeply. His eyes looked clouded over when he was spaced out, just like how Wild’s did when he got a memory. He wondered if something like that happened to the sailor.

Wind clutched onto Hyrule’s tunic, big and wet tears starting to soak the front of it. He thought everybody was gone, that they just left him because they didn’t want a deadweight slowing them down. He knew they would never truly leave him but the thought terrified him enough to the point where he’s had his fair share of nightmares about it. He one time told Wolfie of his fears and took comfort in being able to voice them to someone, even if that someone was just a wolf that found them somehow through all the dimensional jumps and portals.

Hyrule calmed Wind by gently brushing his hand through his hair, smoothing it out as he whispered things he heard Sky say to others when they were going through moments like this. He wished he could comfort people like Sky. Somehow he managed to calm everyone down quickly, a mediator in situations sometimes not even Time could handle. He wouldn’t say he was jealous but he was at least a little envious.

Once Wind calmed down, his eyes were puffy and red and his sniffling ceased eventually. He still clung onto Hyrule despite the fact he was still burning. He just didn’t want to let go just yet, didn’t want to lose him like his dream.

It took some more gentle words to get Wind to let go, some coaxing required to get him to drink a red potion and one look from Time to get him back to bed.

Although he laid down and closed his eyes, sleep didn’t come easily. He was wide awake even after everyone had long since went to bed, the sound of his heartbeat pounding in his ears keeping him up.. He could pick out any tiny noise, including the shuffling of someone coming near him. His heartbeat started to pick up, his fingers clutching onto the bedroll so tightly his knuckles went white. Why was he so scared? He wasn’t sure, he just did it out of some sort of instinct.

Whoever moved near him sat down next to his bedroll and probably assumed he was fast asleep. They sighed softly, sounding so deflated and defeated even with just one breath. Wind kept still and silent, fighting the urge to turn and see who it was.

“Hyrule told me you woke up earlier when I was asleep.. Had me worried there, hehe..” That voice was no doubt Wild. The weak laugh added to the end showed just how truly exhausted he was. He said he slept but Wind doubted it was decent sleep of any kind.

“You’ve been out for a few days, Hyrule was starting to worry you’d never get up at that rate. He was glad you woke up, I- I was glad you woke up,” Wild said, his voice cracking. Wind couldn’t see his face but he was sure the Champion was crying or on the verge of.

It took another minute before Wild spoke again. Wind was holding his breath the whole time without realizing it, waiting to hear a sob or sniffle break the silence. It was just words instead. “I um.. I’m sorry Wind. I should’ve been more responsible. Should’ve been faster. You’re hurt and sick because I couldn’t even fight two measly Bokoblins..”

Wind couldn’t stand it anymore. He couldn’t stand sitting there and pretending he didn’t hear a single word of this. He quickly sat up from where he laid and hugged Wild, the older hero wincing as his injuries hadn’t fully yet healed. He also was shocked, not expecting Wind to be awake still. Wild hugged back after a few moments, holding the small boy so carefully as though he would shatter at any moment.

The two sat in silence for seconds, then minutes. They didn’t need to say anything, everything was already either said or would just be a waste of energy. Wild felt himself letting his tears fall again but not because he was sad, but because he realized Wind didn’t blame him for what happened.

Wind also started crying as well, he wasn’t sure what the reason was but it probably had something to do with knowing Wild was okay and knowing that he was still there with him. They both had their issues, had their fears and the problems they faced were difficult and tedious In the end, they both accomplished their missions and survived. Wind always felt this strange connection with Wild sometimes when he thought about it. He was quickly reminded of that connection right now and knew by the way Wild’s hold on Wind tightened that he felt it too.

“Okay kid, you’re crushing my ribs there,” Wild said after another long period of silence. Wind laughed lightly and let him go, his eyelids starting to droop as he yawned. Wild gave a soft smile and patted Wind’s bedroll, insisting that he get some actual rest. Wind would’ve protested if it weren’t for the fact he was absolutely exhausted.

He was sure Wild was tired as well but someone needed to keep watch and while Wind wouldn’t admit it, having someone awake so that he could make sure everyone was there if he had another nightmare made him feel a lot better after drifting off to sleep. The last thing Wind saw as darkness consumed his vision was Wild watching him carefully, sitting close enough so that Wind knew he was there. 

When morning came, everyone found a sleeping Wild and Wind, the latter clinging onto the Champion in his sleep.


End file.
